Officials to Follow Up on Mack Avenue Business Issues

Wayne County Commissioner Tim Killeen intends to bring up an issue officials brought to him in to other commissioners in hopes of easing the process for business owners to invest in the property that leads to their individual doorways.

The meeting, he said, was productive and informative. He and Deputy Director of Engineering for Wayne County Ronald Agacinski have a better idea of what challenges the business owners are encountering, Killeen said.

Members of the invited the county officials to one of their meetings after building official Gene Tutag informed them of the hurdles that often discourage the business owners from encounter from the county.

One case in particular—was mentioned frequently but Grosse Pointe Woods officials made it clear the meeting was not solely concerning that business but rather intended to address the easements of all Mack Avenue businesses.

The owners of Bucci have been trying to establish an outdoor patio for more than a year with an original goal of opening it last summer. After drafting and redrafting plans for the patio repeatedly, the project remains in the hands of Wayne County. Agacinski intends to address this case in particular to speed up what has otherwise been a slow process.

Woods officials asked the county officials whether an agreement could be reached that would allow the decisions about development in front of the businesses along Mack Avenue to be made by the city by proxy, so as to alleviate the congestion from the county.

Agacinski said he was not sure if that would be a possibility considering a lot of what the county must abide by are state and federal regulations related to motorist right-of-way laws. The possibility will be looked into however.

Killeen said he felt good about the meeting and is happy the city approached him for help. A few years ago, the county had a one-stop location for small businesses on its website but the one-stop shop has been disbanded through the many budget cuts, Killeen said.

Only about a week before the meeting in Grosse Pointe Woods, Killeen received a call from the owner of regarding a property downriver that he intended to use to open another restaurant, he said. The owner was questioning the time frame he received from the county about inspections and approval for opening, which he was told would take two to three months, Killeen said.

That time frame is much too long for a business owner that is ready to open, he said, explaining he had already begun looking into that particular issue.

Killeen believes the development of small businesses is key to the county and should be recognized as such. He was surprised to learn of what is perceived to be an antiquated system by business owners by Wayne County and believes it needs to be addressed.

He is on the commission's economic development committee and intends to bring the topic up, he said, noting if the Woods is experiencing such issues other communities likely are as well.

Killeen would also like to ensure communication is happening between the county's information technology department and the economic development department to ensure access to information is made as easily as possible to business owners visiting the website.

The county officials intend to return to the committee's next meeting, which is scheduled for April 19 at 6 p.m., Woods City Manager Al Fincham said, explaining he was also pleased with the outcome of the meeting.